Intermediate English Oral Practice

9C2471

Textbook:

English Conversation in Taiwan (Lower Intermediate Level)

Unit 1. Small Talk

1.1. Read the cartoon on page 2.1.2. Imagine you are having a conversation with an

old lady in a Western country. Practice the conversation with a partner.

1.3. Pair discussion: Talking with an English speaker.

1. Have you ever talked with someone from another country? If so, what did you talk about when you first meet them?

2. What would you talk about an English-speaking person sitting next to you on an airplane going to there country?

Unit 1. Small Talk

1.4. Discuss the questions with your partner.Do you think you should begin the conversation…with a Western person in there country by: 1. asking them a question about there country (culture,

food, places to see, etc.)?2. asking what they think about something important in

the news?3. talking about the weather?

Unit 1. Small Talk

…with a Western person in Taiwan by:

1. telling them that Taiwan is a beautiful country?2. saying that China has a 5,000 year history?3. asking them how they like Taiwan and giving advice

if they are having problems (e.g. which buses to catch, or where good restaurants or places to visit are)?

Unit 1. Small Talk

…with a Western person on an airplane or in a park by:

1. telling them that you’ve read the book they are reading (if you have) and saying what you think about it?

2. telling them about a movie you’ve just seen, and giving your opinion about it (if they’ve seen it, too)?

Unit 1. Small Talk

1.5. Role-plays. Act out the following situations with a partner.

1. Talking with someone from another country on an airplane.

2. Talking to someone from another country on a bus in Taiwan.

3. A man who is a womanizer talking to a very shy woman in a park.

4. A very flirtatious and confident woman talking to a very shy man in a park.

Unit 1. Small Talk1.6. Read the text on page 10 about Taiwan and

discuss the questions in a small group.1. Who are some famous Aboriginal people in Taiwan?2. What things do you know about Aboriginal culture?

Hakka culture?3. What are some of the good things about having

people from different cultural background in Taiwan?

Unit 2. The Telephone

2.1. Put these phrases in the correct spaces in the conversations On the Phone on page 11, then listen to check your answers.

a. wrong numberb. call her backc. Can I take a message?d. extension numbere. Can I help you?f. on the line

Unit 2. The Telephone

2.2. Take turns calling a wrong number with your partner.

2.3. Take turns calling your partner and inviting him/her to do something with you (use the ideas below)

Ask if your friend is here → ask your friend how he or she is → make small talk about

something → invite your friend out → arrange where and when to meet → say good-buy

Unit 2. The Telephone

2.4. Listen to the telephone conversation and write the message on the message pad.

2.5. Practice the conversation you have written with your partner.

2.6. Practice taking and writing phone messages with your partner.

Unit 2. The Telephone

2.7. Look at the expressions below. Then listen to the tape and try to guess their meanings.I’m doneHang outNo way!What are you up to?How come?You’re kidding!Hang on

Unit 2. The Telephone

2.8. Try to put the expressions in 2.7. in the right places in the two conversations on page 19.

2.9. Practice these conversations with your partner.

Unit 3. Music

3.1. Practice the music words with your partner. Classical music, opera, pop (popular music), rock ’n’ roll, blues, jazz, Latin American music, rap, hip hop, gospel, soul, dance music, disco, techno, punk, reggae, instrumental music, new age music, (traditional) folk music

Unit 3. Music

3.2. Read the conversation on page 21 and underline music words.

3.3. In groups, write the names of as many singers and bands as you can. 1 or 2 people in each group should write and the others should help them.

Unit 3. Music

3.4. Practice the names of some famous musicians with your partner.Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Handel, Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, The Beatles,The Bee Jees, Robbie Williams, Yo-yo Ma, Christina Aguilera, Madonna, Alicia Keys, The Corrs,

Savage Garden, Air Supply, The Spice Girls

Unit 3. Music

3.5. Together with your partner, try to name the musical instrument on page 22.

3.6. First review the expressions from 3.1. and 3.3. Then play music bingo on page 23 with your partner.

3.7. Discuss with your partner what you know about Wu Bai and his band.

3.8. Read the text about Wu Bai on page 23.

Unit 3. Music

3.9. Discuss in pairs.1. What kind of music do you like?2. What kind of music don’ you like?3. Who are you favorite singers? Why do you like

them?4. Do you have any favorite classical music composer?5. How often do you listen to music?6. What kind of music is popular now?7. Do you often buy CDs?

Unit 3. Music

3.10. Imagine you are a famous musician. Write short notes on a piece of paper about your life history, using the questions below as a guide.

1. Where and when were you born?2. Do you play an instrument? If so, what is it?3. What type of music do you play/sing?4. How did you become so good?5. What are the names of your albums?6. How successful you are?

Unit 4. The Body

4.1. Label the body parts on the picture on page 29. Use the words below.

Head, neck, throat, Adam’s apple, shoulder, chest, stomach, back,

waist, arm, elbow, finger, knee, ankle, bottom/backside, wrist, hand, leg, toe, thumb, foot, heel

Unit 4. The Body

4.2. Label the face parts on the picture on page 29. Use the words below.Hair, forehead, eyelid, eye, nose, cheek, mouth, eyebrow, eyelash, ear, cheekbone, lips, jaw, chin

4.3. You and your partner should review the body parts on page 28, then test each other on them. Take turns pointing to a part of your body and asking your partner to say its name in English.

Unit 4. The Body

4.4. Discuss in pairs, using the words below.Muscular/well-built, thin/slim, a little overweight, nice/attractive

1. Do you like your body? Why?2. Describe the perfect body for a man? For a woman?3. Which 3 famous people do you think have the sexiest body?4. What type of bodies do models usually have?5. Do you like beauty contests? Why/ why not?6. Is it a good idea for a man to do weightlifting?7. Would you try cosmetic surgery?

Unit 4. The Body

4.5. Listen to the conversation “At a beauty salon” on page 30.

4.5. Practice reading it with your partner.4.6. Draw arrows from the words below on the

woman’s face and body on page 31.Eyebrow pencil, mascara, eye shadow, blusher, facial moisturizer, hair gel, lipstick, shoulder massage, nail polish, a manicure, leg waxing

Unit 4. The Body

4.7. Listen to the conversation about fitness centers in Taiwan. Underline the activities below mentioned in the conversation. Sit in a spa, do kung fu, use exercise machines, play basketball, go swimming, do aerobics, have a sauna, have a massage

4.8. Read the text about Taiwan’s hot springs on page 32.

Unit 4. The Body

4.9.Discuss together with a partner.1. Have you been in a spa pool or hot spring?2. What did you think about it?3. Which hot springs mentioned in the reading have you

been to?4. Have you had a sauna?5. Have you been hiking, tried meditation or gone tai

chi?6. Do you ever go to a health club? Why/why not?

Unit 5. Housework

5.1. Together with your partner, match the words below with the pictures on page 35.Sweeping the floor, vacuuming, hanging out the clothes, setting the table, washing and drying the dishes, polishing shoes, mopping the floor, watering the plants, dusting, putting things away in the cupboard, putting clothes away/hanging clothes in the closet, taking the garbage, making the bed, beating the rug, folding clothes, serving the food

Unit 5. Housework

5.2. Discuss together with a partner.1. What household chores can you do in the a)

kitchen, b) bedroom, c) living room, d) bathroom?2. Who does most of the chores in your house?3. What housework do you usually do?4. Are there any chores you like doing? Why?5. Which chores do you really hate doing?6. What chores does your mother do? Your father? 7. What about other people you love with?

Unit 5. Housework

5.3. Read the text about housework in Taiwan on page 37.

5.4. Discuss in small groups the following questions.

1. Do you want to see woman in Taiwan do less homework? Why/why not?

2. If you want women do less homework, what can they do to make this happen?

3. Why do you see many Western men do more housework than men in Taiwan?

Unit 5. Housework

5.5. Match the names of the things below with their pictures on page 38.

an iron, a frying pan, a broom, a toaster, a coat hanger, a vacuum cleaner, a mop,a cooking pot, a kettle

5.6. Next time you do household chores, think about how to say each one in English.

Unit 5. Housework5.7. Listen to the CD and write the correct

phrasal verbs in the phrases below.1. _____that mess_______2. _____your clothes_____3. _____that music_______4. don‘t_____the TV ______5. _____the baby________6. I can’t_______living at home7. _____her_____in my car

Unit 5. Housework

5.8. Listen to the CD again, then discuss with your partner what you think each phrasal verb you have written down means.

5.9. Review activity. Form groups of 4 students. Each of you should take turns choosing any square in the chart on page 41 and telling the person on you left to do what it says. Cross out each square after you use it.

Unit 6. City or Country?

6.1. You will listen to two people talking. One is saying why is better to live in a city, and the other is saying why it is better to live in the country.

1. Before you listen, discuss with your partner what things you think the people will say.

2. Write short notes about them on some paper under: Good things - City and Good things – Country.

Unit 6. City or Country?

6.2. Listen to the conversation, and when you here the people something you wrote, put a check next to it on your list.

6.3. Listen again and add any ides you here that you didn’t write down on your list.

6.4. Read the cartoon on page 43. Discuss with your partner good and bad things living in the city, mentioned here.

Unit 6. City or Country?

6.5. Discuss in a small group.1. Did you grow up in the city or in the country? Did

you like it? Why/why not?2. Do you prefer living in the country or in the city now?

Why?3. If you had to live in a country town in Taiwan, which

one would you choose and why? Which city would you choose to live in, and why?

Unit 6. City or Country?

6.6. Debates. These can be done in groups, with 3 students on each side. Students should prepare their arguments for 5-10 minutes before the debate. Possible topics include:

1. Being married is better than being single.2. Everyone should have children.3. Married couples should live with the husband's

parents.4. Students should have exams.

Unit 6. City or Country?

6.7. Read the text Focus on Chiunglin on page 48 and discuss the questions below with your partner.

1. How many people live in Chiunglin?2. What jobs do people have?3. What are the houses like?4. is it expensive to live there? 5. What is the transport like?6. Is daily life convenient here?

Unit 6. City or Country?

6.8. Read the text Focus on Kaohsiung on page 50 and discuss the questions below with your partner.

1. How many people live in Kaohsiung?2. What jobs do people have?3. What are the houses like?4. is it expensive to live there? 5. What is the transport like?6. Is daily life convenient here?

Unit 6. City or Country?

6.9. Read the text Taiwan early last century on page 49.

6.10. Discuss in a small group:1. Did you parents grow up in the city or in the

country? What stories did they told you about everyday life in Taiwan when they were young? What about your grandparents?

2. Would you prefer to live in Taiwan today or 50 years ago? Why?

Unit 6. City or Country?

3. What do you think Taiwan will be like 50 years in the future (houses, transport, parks, languages spoken, etc.)?

6.11. Find information about a town or area in Taiwan and present it to the class (or to your group). Talk about the people there, what you can see and do there, and describe its history.

Unit 7. Can I Help You?

7.1. This unit looks at ways you can answer the question “Hello, can I help you?” in many common situations where you need to speak English. First, do the exercises A-F for conversations at pages 51-43 with your partner. After you finish the exercises, listen to the tape to check your answers.

7.2. Choose one 6 situations (A-F) from 7.1. and tell your partner what is it. Take turns.

Unit 7. Can I Help You?

7.3. Read the text about Taipei’s Grand Hotel on page 59 and answer the questions.

1.Where is the Grand Hotel ?2.Describe how the Grand Hotel looks.3.What problems did it have in the1990s?4.How were some of these problems solved?